Post on 07-Jul-2018
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C N DI N
C T LOGUING IN PUBLIC TION D T
C94-960207
B2.1609711
Cover title.
Written
by
Roberta Parish and Sandra Thomson.
Cf
Acknowledgements
Canada-British
Columbia Partnership
Agreement
on Forest Resource Development:
FRDA
II.
Cf Verso of t.p.
Previous
ed.
written
by
Garth
Coward.
c k n o w l e ~ g e m e n t s
Co-published by
Canadian
Forest Service,
ISBN
0-7726-2159-4
r
r
r
r
1. Trees British Columbia -Identification.
I
Thomson,
S M
(Sandra Mary),
1960-
Coward,
Garth. Tree Book. III British Columbia.
Ministry
of Forests.
V
Canada-British
Columbia
Partnership Agreement
on
Forest Resource
Development:
FRDA II V Canadian Forest Service. VI
TItle
VII Title: Learning to
recognize
trees
of British Columbia.
Parish,
Roberta,
194B-
Tree
Book:
learning
to
recognize frees
of
British Columbia
OK4B5.2.B7C6B
1994
Additional copies
available
from:
Canadian
Forest
Service
506 W Burnside
Rd
Victoria, BC
VBZ lM
Ministry of Forests
Public Affairs
Branch
Suite 300
1675
Douglas Sf
Victoria, BC
VBW
3E7
n d
C J
Partnership
gr m nt
on Forest Resource Development FR
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earning to
ecognize
Trees of
ritish olumbia
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knowledgements
Funding for tlus project was provided by the Canada British
Columbia Partnership Agreement
on
Forest Resource
Development:
FRDA
II
Garth Coward wrote the first edition
of
the Tree Book. Many
individuals have
een
involved in rewriting and revising the
second edition. Emma McMillan and ohn Horchik completed an
inventory and selected photographs. They would like to
acknowledge Deb Tarry Production Resources Ministry of
Forests Research Branch; Jim Challenger and Dayle Sadler
Public Affairs Branch; Jolm Pinn
B C
Parks; Nancy Turner
University
of
Victoria; Don Carson Cowichan Lake Research
Station Ministry
of
Forests and Blake Dickens for their assistance
in locating photographs. Allen Banner Rich Evans
Les Josa
Andy MacKinnon Mike Meagher Meggin Messenger Alison
Nicholson Ed Oswald and Rob Scagel reviewed portions
of the
text
for technical accuracy. Judith A dritt McDowell edited it.
Maryse Chynchuck and Mario Biello from the Canadian Forest
Service translated the Tree Book into French.
Tree ook
Committee
Ruth Eppele Dickens Public Affairs Branch Ministry
of
Forests
Paul Nystedt Research Branch Ministry
of
Forests
Robelta Parish Research Branch Ministry
of
Forests
Jill Peterson Canadian Forest Service
Wendy Stewart Public Affairs Branch Ministry
of Forests
Sandra Thomson Research Branch Ministry
of
Forests
Text
Robelta Parish and Sandra Thomson Research Branch
Ministry
of
Forests
Design
Layout and Production
Susan Fergusson and A R Ratsoy
Typesetting Laser Works
Illustrations
Emma McMillan and A R Ratsoy
Distribution
Maps
David Izard Research Branch Ministry
of
Forests and George Clement Sun Electric Arts Ltd.
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Photo
redits
Forest Service print collection) - p. 16, 17,
18
22a, 25, 44, 48, 49, 50, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 58 60 61 63a b 64,
65 66 69 70a
b, 75, 77, 81, 82a, 84, 85, 87b, 88, 89, 94, 96,
100, 105 108 109 114 115 116 117 119a
b
122, 126, 128,
133, 134, 135, 142, 146, 147, 152, 153, 154, 158, 160, 164, 168,
169, 171b.
Forest Service slide collection) - p.
19 20
22b, 26, 27, 29, 34,
38 42 43
SIb, 62a b, 74, 79a, 87a, 90, 91, 95a, 104, 110,
IlIa 113, 123, 143, 155a
b
161, 171a, 173, 174.
Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks - B C Parks - p. 23,
24, 31a, 31b 36 39 57 67 71a, 71b, 72, 73, 79b, 92, 98, 101,
107, lIz ,
25 130 132 138 151 170 172 175.
Ministty of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources,
Bill McMillan - p. 28, 33, 86, 99b, 156, 157, 159, 164, 165,
166a, 166b.
Don Carson Ministry of Forests, Cowichan
Lake
Research
Station) - p. 21, 78.
C Thomson Nelson Forest Region) - p. 37, 41.
].
POjar
prince Rupert Forest Region) - p. 40, 93, 95b, 136, 140,
144.
T Lea MinistlY
of
Environment, Lands and Parks, Victoria)
p
80
E
Campbell MinistlY
of
Forests, Research Branch, Victoria)
- p. 102
]. Parminter Ministry of Forests, Research Branch, Victoria)
- p. 177
B Swan - p. 30
Dave Fraser- p. 31c, ll1b.
A
1nselberg - p.32, 68, 118, 120, 178
E
McMillan - p 45, 46, 47, 82b, 97, 99a, 106b, 124, 127, 139,
148, 149, 150.
R B
Dickens - p. 51a, 59.
R Norton - p 106
A Ceska - p. 121 137
F Boas - p. 141, 145
M McPhee - p. 167
The photo of the mask was used with permission from the Royal
British Coluinbia Museum collections C T NO. 9974
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ntrodu tion
Many of us
who
live in British Columbia appreciate its natural
beauty scenic landscapes beautiful parks and diverse
plants and animals. When
we
visit different parts of our
province we encounter a diversity of climates and land
forms. This diversity results in a tremendous variety of forest
and plant communities.
British Columbia has about 40 different species of native
trees but you
won t
find ll
of
them everywhere you go.
Some trees like lodgepole pine grow throughout the
province but others only grow in places where they are
adapted to the particular climate. For example western
redcedar grows mostly
on
the coast and in the wetter palts of
the Interior where there s abundant rainfall and tempera-
tures are mild. Englemann spruce grows at higher elevations
where winters are very cold and snowfall can be heavy.
The information in tllls book will help you to identify the
native trees in your neighbourhood and understand why they
grow where they do.
We hope that discovering the uniqueness of trees will ethe
first step
to
opening the door on the natural world which
also includes
other
plants animals insects and fungi ll
part of the ecosystems of British Columbia. We hope the Tree
Book will be just the beginning of your explorations.
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What
are the
arts
of Tree
Trees have three main parts - the leaves the trunk and the roots.
The upper part of the tree with the branches
is
called the
crown
Needles
or
l v s
are the part
o
the tree that make sugar from air
and water. They do this by a chemical process called
photosynthesis
in which energy from the sun carbon dioxide from the air and
water recombine to form sugars and oxygen.
Stomates
are tiny holes that control the amount of air that
enters and leaves the tree.
hlorophyll
is
a chemical that makes leaves green. It
is
found
inside the plant s cells where chloroplasts absorb the sun s
energy for photosynthesis.
The
trunk
has several layers.
The
outer
bark protects the tree from fire or insects and
insulates it from extreme heat and cold.
The
phloem is
the layer of cells that forms a pipeline to carry
sugars from the leaves to the rest of the tree.
s
these cells
die they become part of the outer bark.
The
cambium
is
the growing part of the hunk. Each year the
cambium produces n w phloem and sapwood. These cells
grow more slowly in the winter and tllis slower growth
produces the tree s annual rings. These
a U Ual
rings can help
us find the age of a tree. The oldest part of the tree
is
always
on the inside.
The
sapwood is
the pipeline that carries water and nutrients
from the roots up to the leaves. Snew layers develop the
inner layers die and become heartwood.
Heartwood
is
dead wood in the centre of the tree.
gives the
tree its strength.
Roots have two jobs -
to
anchor the tree
to
the earth and to
absorb water and nutrients from the soil.
Trees have fungi that live in and on the root cells and help them
absorb water and nutrients. In return the fungi obtain food from
the tree.
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tomates
Chlorophyll .
eartwood
Root
Soil
hloem
ambium
Sapwood
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caly
What to ook or
Many trees look the same from a distance. Up close you will
start to recognize differences especially
i
you
know w t
to
look for.
hatis the sh pe
o th
le f
Needle like?
nbundles? so
ow
many
in
each bundle?
Not in bundles?
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road leaves
Leaves opposite e ch other on the
twig
Leaves
ltern ting
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Leaves
without
indentations
not lobed ?
Leaves irregularly
shaped lobed ?
Where re the seeds?
Berry-like fruit?
Catkins? structures
with many flowers
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Cones
racts
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eyfor dentifyingTrees with Needles or Scales
eature
to
Look
For
Trees with
scale like
leaves
Cones egg shaped
Cones round
Cones fleshy and berry like
Tree Spedes
western redcedar
yellow cedar
Rocky Mountain
juniper
age
limber pine
western white pine
Needles in bundles of
5
small
cones grows at high elevations
Needles in bundles
5
large cones grows at high
elevations
Needles in bundles
5
large cones not at high
elevations
Trees
with
needles
in
bundles
of
2
or
Needles bundles
2 lodgepole pine
Needles in bundles
ponderosa or
yellow pine
whitebark pine
Trees with bundles of
many needles
Bundles
15
to 30 needles
grows in southern B C
Bundles of
15
25
needles
grows in northern B C
Bundles of 30
40 needles
grows in subalpine areas
western larch
tamarack
alpine larch
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eature
to
Look
For
Tree Species
age
Trees with
needles
not in bundles
Needles with four sides and stalks
Grows at lower elevations
white spruce
needles sharp and stiff edge
o cone scales round
Grows
higher elevations Engelmann spruce
edge of cone scales ragged
Grows in coastal areas
Sitka spruce
needles slightly flattened
Grows in northern areas
black spruce
clump o
branches on the
top of tree
Needles flat usually
with
notch
at t end
cones upright
Needles on upp r side of the
grand
f r
twig point sideways
Needles on upp r side of the
amabilis flf
twig point upwards
ll
needles appearing to pOint
subalpine flf
upwards
Needles flat
with blunt ends
Needles different lengths
western hemlock
top branch
o
tree droops
Needles same length
mountain hemlock
curved upwards grows
at higher elevations
Needles flat with pointed tips
ones with a three forked bract
Douglas flf
Fruit red and berry like
western yew
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ey
for e n t i f ~ n g Trees with
road
Leaves
eature to ook or Tree Species
age
eaves
in
apposite
pairs
Leaves no lobes veins parallel Pacific dogwood
showy white flowers
Leaves wit 5 lobes very large
bigleaf maple
Leaves wit 3 to 5 lobes and Douglas maple
coarsely toothed edges
Leaves wit 7 to 9 lobes vine maple
almost circular
eaves
alternating
eaves evergreen red bark
arbutus
peels flakes
Leaves oval branches have thorns black hawthorn
Leaves oblong veins parallel cascara
Leaves
wit
rounded lobes
Garry oak
with acorns
Trees
with fleshy fruit
m ll
red apples egg-shaped leaves Pacific crab apple
Long cluster
o
dark purple berries
choke cherry
Flat-topped cluster
o
bright pin cherry
red berries
Loose cluster o dark red berries
bitter cherry
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eature
to
Look For
Tree
Species age
Trees
with catkins
atkinswoody
Leaves with rounded teeth
red alder
and edges rolled under
Leaf edges are double-toothed mountain alder
small tree shrub
atkinsfoil
apart easily
Leaves triangle-shaped
paper birch
bark peels readily
Leaves oval-shaped bark water birch
shiny and dark
atkinsbead like
releasing fluffy
balsam poplar
white seeds
black cottonwood
atkins small
trembling aspen
smooth white bark leaves
tremble in the wind
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estern redced r
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estern redced r
huj pli t
A large tree up to 60 metres tall
wh n
mature
with drooping branches; trunk often spreading
out widely at the base.
eaves
Scale like opposite pairs in four rows folded in
one pair .but
not
in the other and overlapping like
shingles. Arranged
on
the twigs in flat fan like sprays.
Very strong aroma.
ones
Seed cones are egg shaped I
centimetre long with several pairs
o
scales. Pollen cones are small and
reddish.
ark
Grey stringy tearing off in long
strips
on
mature trees.
here to
find western
redcedar
It typically occurs at low to
mid elevations along the
coast and in the
w t
belt
o
the Interior
wh r
the
climate
s
cool mild and
moist.
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abitat
Western redcedar grows best in moist to w t soils, with lots
of
nutrients.
t
is
tolerant of shade and long-lived, sometimes
over
1,000 years.
Western redcedar frequently grows with western hemlock
and Douglas-ftr. On the north coast, it also grows with
amabilis fir and spmces. These forests usually have a lush layer
of
ferns, huckleberries, and Devil s club, with a thick carpet of
mosses
o n
the forest floor.
s s
The western redcedar has been
called the cornerstone
of
Northwest Coast aboriginal
culture, and has great spiritual
significance. Coastal people used
all palts of the tree. They used the woo for dugout canoes,
house planks, bentwood boxes, clothing, and many tools such
as arrow shafts, masks, and paddles. The ilmer bark made
rope, clothil1g, and baskets. The long arching branches w r
twisted into rope and baskets. was also used for many
medicines.
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The wood
s
naturally durable
and light in weight. It s used
for house siding and interior
paneling s well s outdoor
furniture, decking and fencing.
Because o
its resistance to
decay and insect damage, the woo of large, fallen trees
remains sound for over 100 years. Even after 100 years, the
woo can be salvaged and cut into shakes for roofs.
ot s
The western redcedar
s
British Columbia s official tree. The
name
plicata
comes from a Greek word meaning folded in
plaits, in reference to the arrangement of the leaves. s
sometimes called
arbor vitae
Latin for tree oflife.
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ellow cedar
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ellow cedar
h m ecyp ris
nootk tensis
A medium sized tree up to 24 metres tall and 90
centimetres in diameter; has a broad grooved
trunk that spreads out widely at the base. The
crown
is
sharply cone shaped with branches that
spread out and droop and have small loosely
hanging branchlets.
eaves
Scale like dark bluish green and
slender with sharp points. Unlike
• western redcedar the leaves
the
yellow cedar are
all
alike so that
the leaf covered twigs appear four-
sided rather than flat.
ones
Cones are round 6 to
millimetres in diameter berry like
in the fIrst year and becoming woody
as
they mature. Mature
cones have 4 to 6 thick umbrella shaped scales.
ark
On young trees the bark
is
thin greyish brown and
scaly; on mature trees it
has narrow intersecting
ridges. The inside of the
bark smells like potato skins.
Where to
find
yellow cedar
Common west of the Coast
Mountains it rarely occurs in
southeastern British Columbia.
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bit t
Yellow cedar grows well on deep slightly acidic moist soils
usually as single trees or in small clumps. t is common in old-
growth stands at low elevations especially in the mid or north
coastal regions with western redcedar and western hemlock
and other plants such
as
salal and deer fern. It
is
most
commom at high elevations growing with mountain hemlock
and amabilis fir
oungbal k
s s
Aboriginal people along the
coast used yellow cedar
extensively. They used the w
for paddles masks dishes and
bows and wove the bark to make clothing and blankets.
The wood is very valuable commercially because of its straight
grain yellow colour and resistance to decay. It
is
used
extensively for boat building.
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ol s
CIJa l aecypa is
s
derived from
the Greek word for the ground
cypress an Old World shmb;
l tkatensis
refers to Nootka
Sound
o
the west side o
Vancouver Island where it was first identified by botanists.
Yellow cedar often has a candelabra like appearance because
the top leader dies s do the side branches that take over.
The reason for this
s
ot
really understood but it may be a
lack of nutrients caused by growing in wet acidic soils or
perhaps drought stress caused by a shortage of oxygen to the
roots which makes it difficult for the tree to take up water.
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o ky ounl injuniper
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ocky
ount in juniper
uniperus s opulorum
A shrubby tree with a wide irregularly rounded
crown and knotty twisted trunk reaching 13
metres in height.
Leaves
Scale like in pairs barely overlapping but covering
the twig in four rows. On young faster growing
branches the leaves may be longer and more needle like scattered
in twos or threes; pale yellowish green turning to greyish green on
older twigs.
ones
Seed cones are rounded small and
fleshy located at the ends
of
the
branches; bright to dark blue with a
greyish tinge.
ark
Divided into narrow flat ridges
that are broken into thin shredded
stringy strips; reddish
or
greyish brown.
Where find Rocky
Mountain
juniper
It occurs most commonly
on
dry rocky
or
sandy soils
especially in moist rocky
canyon bottoms along lake
and stream shores and on dry
rocky south facing ridges. It
generally occurs throughout
southern British Columbia
although it has n seen growing
as far north as Telegraph Creek.
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bit t
Rocky Mountain juniper often occurs in pure open groups of
trees but it can
o ur
mixed with ponderosa pine
on
south-
and west facing slopes or
with Douglas fu on
north and east-
facing slopes.
s s
Aboriginal people used the woo
of Rocky Mountain juniper for
making bows clubs and spoons.
Because it is durable and has an
attractive colour it is
now
used
for carving.
Many First Nations peoples boiled Rocky Mountain juniper
boughs and used them as a disinfectant and air freshener. They
also used the boughs in sweat houses and for smoking hides.
They ate fresh Rocky Mountain juniper berries in small
quantities
or
made
them
into a tea for many stomach
ailments.
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Berries from certain species
o
juniper are used to flavour gin.
Gin was first made in Holland
in the 17th century s an
invigorating and medicinal
alcohol.
ot s
Young branches
o
Rocky Mountain juniper can sometimes be
confused
wit
common juniper
juniperus communis ,
which only has needle like leaves and always grows
s
a shrub.
The cones ripen in their second season
so
two generations o
cones may occur on the same tree. The fleshy covering of the
cones s dissolved to allow the seeds to germinate. This s
usually accomplished
s
the cones pass through the digestive
tracts of birds or other animals.
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o gepole pine
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o gepole pine
inus contort
V
l ti li
A tall slender straight tree which grows
throughout most of the Interior.
Leaves
Needles
o ur
in bunches
o
two and are often
twisted in a spiral with sharp points; usually dark
green.
ones
Seed cones vary in shape from short
and cylindrical to egg shaped; 2 to 4
centimetres long without stalks. The
seed scales have sharp prickles at
their tips.
ark
The bark s thin orangey brown to
grey and finely scaled.
here
to
find lodgepole pine
t
grows throughout the Interior from
mid elevation to subalpine
sites.
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abitat
Lodgepole pine s a highly adaptable tree that can grow in ll
sorts of environments, from water-logged bogs to dry sandy
soils.
Lodgepole pine
s
one of the fIrst trees to invade after a
wildfIre. Its cones are protected by a seal of pitch that
requires fIre or heat to release the seeds. This allows seeds
to stay o the tree or on the ground for many years until
disturbal1ce provides suitable growing conditions.
Lodgepole pine can occur s the only tree in dense, very slow
growing groups
o
trees so-called dog-hair stands).
ses
Many First Nations peoples in
British Columbia used the wood
from lodgepole pine for a variety
of purposes, including poles for
lodges, homes or buildings. In
the spring, they stripped off long ribbons or noodles of the
sweet succulent inner bark cambium layer). It was eaten
fresh in the spring, sometimes with sugar, or stored.
The pitch was used
s
a base for many medicines.
was
boiled, mixed with animal fat, and used s a poultice for
rheumatic pain and ll kinds of aches and soreness in muscles
and joints. Pitch was also chewed to relieve sore throats.
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Lodgepole pine is excellent for
lumber, plywood, and paneling.
It
is
used to make doors, windows
and furniture, as well as railway
ties, mine props and fence posts.
hor
pine
In the extreme northeastern
part o th province, another two-needled pine grows: jack
pine
Pinus banksiana .
Its cone scales have no prickles at
the tip.
ot s
Another variety
o
Pinus
contorta
vaL
contorta
called
shore pine, grows in a narrow
band along the coast. t
commonly grows as a short,
scrubby, crooked tree. This
two-needled pine has thick,
deeply grooved, dark reddish
brown bark.
Older lodgepole pine trees are susceptible to mountain pine
beetle. The beetle tunnels under the bark and lays its eggs. s
the tree dies the colour of the needles changes from green to
rusty-brown. Lodgepole pine is also susceptible to mistletoe,
rusts, and root rot. It provides food for many small mammals
e.g., snowshoe hare, vole, and squirrels which feed on the
inner bark.
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onderos or yellow pine
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onderos
or
yellow
pine
inus ponderos
A large-crowned tree with a straight trunk, usually
about
5
t 30 metres tall, ut sometimes reaching
a height of 50 metres and a diameter of 2 metres.
eaves
Needles occur in
bunches
of
three occasionally both
twos and threes), to 28
centimetres long, slender, with
sharp points and sharply toothed
edges.
ones
Seed cones are narrowly oval wh n
closed, 7 to
4
centimetres long,
with no stalk. The scales get thicker towards the tip and have a
sharp, rigid prickle. Seeds have a 2.5 centimetre wing.
ark
Blackish, rough, and scaly
on
young trees; on
mature trees the bark
is
very thick up to 10
centimetres), bright
orang ey-brown, and deeply
grooved into flat, flaky
plates.
here
to
find
ponderosa
pine
is the characteristic tree
of the southern Interior.
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ot s
For many the name
pon eros
conjures up romantic images
o
the wide open spaces of the untamed West. However
David Douglas named the tree because of its ponderous size.
The other common name yellow pine refers to the clear
even grained wood that
s
found in very old large trees.
On a hot day the bark
o
the ponderosa pine smells like
vanilla and wh n you break a young twig it smells somewhat
like oranges.
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hiteb rk pine
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hiteb rk pine
inus lbic ulis
A subalpine tree that varies in shape from a small
tree with a rapidly spreading trunk and broad
crown to a slmlb with a wide spreading crown
and twisted gnarled branches
wh n exposed to
strong winds. It
is
similar in appearance to linlber
pine but its cones are quite different.
e ves
Needles occur in bunches o five
ranging from 3 to 9 centimetres
long; they are stiff slightly curved
usually bluish green and tend to be
clumped towards the ends o
branches.
ones
Seed cones are egg shaped to
almost round 3 to 8 centimetres
long and grow at right angles to the branch; the scales grow in
roughly 5 spiral rows. The cones are permanently closed and the
seeds are released
wh n
the cones decay on the ground. Seeds are
l rg about a centimetre long and wingless.
ark
Thin smooth and chalky-
white on young stems;
s
the
tree gets older the bark
becomes thicker and forms
narrow brown scaly plates.
Where
to find
whiteb rk pine
It occurs at high elevations in
southern British Columbia.
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abitat
Whitebark pine prefers to grow on dry to moderately moist
sites
in
subalpine areas.
The whitebark pine has a special relationship with the Clark s
nutcracker. The bird uses its slender, long, curved beak to
break open the cones and remove the seeds. The nutcracker
then buries the seeds for winter meals.
the
nutcracker forgets where it buries the
seeds they are in an ideal environment
for germination and sprouting.
Grizzly bear are known to feed on
whitebark pine seed caches.
ses
The Thompson people ate the
seeds o the whitebark pine
pinenuts) both raw and roasted.
They collected the cones in the
f ll and dried them to op n the scales. They extracted the
seeds and ate them fresh or sometimes preserved them for
winter by cooking and crushing them and then mixing them
with dried berries.
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ot s
The scientific name l ic ulis
literally means the pine with
white stems in reference to the
white bark that especially
noticeable
younger trees
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im er pine
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im er pine
inus f exilis
A small scrubby twisted tree with short limbs
usually 5 to
metres high; the lower branches
on older trees become very long and drooping but
with upturned tips. It looks similar to whitebark
pine but limber pine has larger cones.
e ves
Needles occur in bunches of five 3
to 9 centimetres long; bluish green
and clustered at the ends of twigs.
ones
Seed cones are large and
cylindrical 8 to 20 centimetres
long; they are yellowish brown and
the scales are thickened and sticky
towards the tip. The seeds are nut
like and almost wingless.
ark
n
young trees the bark
is
silvery grey;
as
the
tree matures th bark
becomes thicker very
rough and nearly black
with wide scaly plates.
here
find
lim er
pine
It occurs only at higher
elevations
on
the western
foothills
of
the Rocky
Mountains in th extreme
southeast
of
British Columbia.
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abitat
Limber pine occurs o dry to moderately moist sites in
subalpine environments
t
occurs
a single tree or in widely
spaced groups o trees o rocky terrain where its roots
penetrate the spaces between rocks
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ot s
oth the common name and
l xilis
refer to the flexible
nature of the wood
this tree
Having flexible wood
an
excellent adaptation for a tree
that must deal with heavy snowpack and ice
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st rn whit pin
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st rn
whit pin
inus monticol
A large tree up to 60 metres high. usually grows
in closed groups of trees and has a short open
crown.
eaves
Needles
o ur
in bunches of five about 5 to
centimetres long. Slender straight and soft to
touch they are bluish green in colour with a whitish tinge and
the edges are very fmely toothed.
ones
Seed cones are cylindrical
wh n
closed about 10 to
25
centimetres
long and they occur
on
a 2 .
centimetre stalk; the scales are
often bent backwards
wh n
dry.
The seeds have wings about 3
centimetres long.
ark
When the trees are young
the bark
is
thin smooth
and greyish green. It turns
darker as it gets older and
forms deep vertical
grooves with small
rectangular scaly plates.
hereto
find
western white pine
It is commonly found in the drier
parts of Vancouver Island the
adjacent mainland coast and in the
wetter parts of the southern Interior
particularly at low elevations.
II
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abitat
Western white pine thrives in a variety of environments
ranging from peat bogs to dry sandy
or
rocky soil
t
does
best on sites that are rich in nutrients and well drained in
moist valleys and
o
gentle northern slopes
Uses
The Thompson people made a
medicine from the boughs
o
western white pine
The wood ideal for carving
because o its fme grain and uniform texture t also prized
for special construction purposes pattern making and
furniture
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ot s
Western white pine is
susceptible to white pine
blister rust which causes
portions
the tree to turn an
orangey-brown colour and die.
The rust is difficult to control and prevents the tree from
being commercial importance.
The botanist David Douglas first identified western white
pine on the slopes ofMount
t
Helens. It gets its conunon
name from the light colour
the wood. The Latin name
onticola means inhabiting mountains.
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st rn
l r h
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estern
l rch
rix
ident lis
Like all larches, it loses its needles in the autumn.
This large, handsome tree can grow to 80 metres
tall and 850 years o age.
eaves
New needles are soft green, turning golden yellow
in the
fall
and broadly triangular in cross section.
They are long, clustered in bunches o
15
to 30 on stubby, woody
projections which remain on the twig after the needles fall
ones
Seed cones are elongated and red to
reddish-brown. The scales have
white hairs
on
the lower surface and
prominent, long slender bracts.
Pollen cones are yellow.
ark
Mature trees develop thick, grooved
plate-like bark wit cinnamon
coloured scales similar to ponderosa pine bark .
here to
find
western larch
It grows in valleys and on
the lower slopes o
mountains in the sOllthern
Interior.
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abitat
Western larch usually grows in mixed forests but can
occasionally be found in
pur
groups of trees after a severe
wildfIre. It demands full sunlight and grows well on fIre-
blackened soil. Fire releases nutrients which it uses
grow
faster than its companion species.
Low temperatures limit the distribution of western larch. It is
quite sensitive to frost damage because it continues to grow
from bup burst in spring through to September; most
evergreen conifers stop growing in mid July
ses
Aboriginal people seldom used
western larch wood; however
they mixed the dried pitch with
grease and used it
as
a cosmetic.
Dried powdered pitch was also an ingredient of a red paint
applied to
woo
or buckskin.
The woo of western larch
is
one of the strongest in Canada.
It
is
often used in heavy constmction and for railway ties and
pilings.
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m r ck
rix l ri in
A small slender tree which rarely grows more
than
5
metres tall. It has delicate deciduous
foliage.
eaves
Needles are three sided and blue green turning
bright yellow in autumn. They grow in clusters
5
to 25 on short woody projections which remain on the twig
after the needles fall
ones
The small round seed cones are red
at flowering and turn brown with
age. Pollen cones are yellow.
ark
Red brown thin and scaly.
here to find tamarack
is
a northern species
which grows mainly east of
the Rockies and in a few
isolated groups
trees in
the Nechako Valley.
II
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ol s
ricin
Latin for larch-like.
Tamarack comes from an
Algonquin word
kem nt k
meaning wood used for
snowshoes.
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lpin
l r h
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lpine
l rch
arix yallii
A small often dwarfed
or
contorted tree that
grows to
15
metres tall.
e ves
eedles are soft bluish green and turn golden in
the
fall
They are four sided and grow in clusters
o
30 to 40
on
short woody projections which
remain on
the
twigs after the needles
fall
The alpine larch has
woolly hair on its buds and twigs.
ones
The small egg shaped seed cones
are reddish yellow to purple
wh n
young. Between each scale of the
cone there are prominent bracts.
Pollen cones are yellow.
ark
The bark
is
thin deeply grooved
and flakes into reddish to purplish-
brown scales.
Where
to
find
lpine larch
It
is
found in th subalpine
area of the Rocky
Mountains the Purcell and
southern Selkirk ranges as
well as
in
Manning Park and
adjacent areas in the Cascade
ranges.
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abitat
Alpine larch grows in very cold snowy areas often
o
rocky
gravelly soils
t
grows with whitebark pine and subalpine ir
Alpine larch can also form pure groups o trees which provide
a spectacular show of autumn colours
Uses
A soup can be made from the
young twigs for a survival
f o o ~
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ot s
Alpine larch Larix lyallit was
named for David yall a
Scottish surgeon and naturalist
w
accompanied several early
expeditions and surveys. The
alpine larch s spring and
autumn colours are eye-catching.
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hite
spru e
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hite
spru e
im gl uco
A large tree with a narrow crown it can grow to
40 metres tall and 1 metre in diameter
wh n
mature.
e ves
Needles are four-sided sharp and stiff and are
arranged.spirally on the twigs; whitish-green and
foul smelling
wh n
young they become pleasant smelling
with age.
ones
Seed cones are light brown to
purplish and hang from the
upp r
branches. The seed scales have a
smooth rounded outer edge. Pollen
cones are pale red.
ark
The bark
loose scaly and
greyish-brown.
Where
to
find
white
spruce
\V lite spruce and its
hybrids are found through
out the Interior from valley
floor to mid elevations. In
the central Interior white
spm interbreeds with
Engelmann spruce and
referred to as interior spruce.
The pure species
generally
found only north
of
Dawson
Creek.
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abitat
White spruce grows in a wide range of environments It
frequently grows with lodgepole pine subalpine ir aspen
birch and willow Oak fern horsetail and gooseberry often
grow under white spruce Lynx snowshoe hares wolves and
moose live in these northern forests
oun
rk
ses
Aboriginal people living in the
Interior used most parts
the
white spruce tree They made
spruce saplings into snowshoe
frames and sometimes into bows They heated the gum to
make a glue to fasten skins onto bows and arrowheads onto
shafts They used the decayed wood for tanning hides Spruce
bark was also used to make cooking pots and trays for
gathering berries
White spruce is a very important commercial tree species
yielding excellent lumber and pulp
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y rid on s
ot s
\ Ihite spruce is often shallow-
rooted and susceptible to being
blown over especially on thin
or
w t
soils. Large areas of
blown down spruce are prime
breeding sites for the spruce
beetle which can then spread to mature trees and ll
thousands
o
hectares
o
old growth spruce.
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ngelma lll
spruce
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ngelm nn spruce
i eo
n lmonnii
A straight tree with a spire like crown that can
reach 50 metres tall and 1 metre in diameter
w n
mature. Branches near the ground tend to droop.
Leaves
Needles are four sided and sharp but not
particularly stiff. They are deep bluish green with
two white bands on both the
upp r
and lower surfaces. The
needles are arranged in
ll
directions on the twigs.
ones
Seed cones are yellow to purplish-
brown and hang from the
upp r
branches. Their papery seed scales
are tapered at both ends and have a
ragged outer edge. Pollen cones are
most commonly yellow to purplish-
brown.
ark
The bark
s
loose scaly and
reddish brown to grey.
here to find
ngelmann
spruce
occurs at high elevations
throughout the Interior and
along the east slope of the
Coast Range. has been
successfully introduced into
high elevation plantations on
the west side of the Coast
Range and on Vancouver Island.
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abitat
Engelmann spm commonly occurs with subalpine fir in
areas with long cold winters and short cool summers It
grows best on deep rich soils with adequate moisture
In drier areas Engelmann spm grows with lodgepole pine
The forest floor
is
often carpeted with grouseberry and
mOlmtain arnica On
w tt r
sites huckleberries white-
flowered rhododendron and
itka
valerian commonly occur
ule deer are plentiful and birds such
as
grouse
woodpeckers nuthatches and thrushes breed in these
subalpine forests
ses
Aboriginal people living in the
Interior used peeled split and
soaked spruce root to sew the
seams of bark baskets The
Interior Salish and Athapaskan peoples used the split roots to
make tightly woven coiled baskets
Sheets of
spm
bark
w r
made into cooking baskets and
canoes The bark was used by the Thompson people for
roofing and by the Lillooet people for baby carriers
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Engelmann spruce lumber
s
used for constmction
w n
great
strength s
not
required. Rotary cut spruce veneer
s
used
manufacuuing plywood. Specialty items such
s
violins, pianos,
and aircraft parts are produced from Engelmann spruce.
ot s
Engelmann spruce interbreeds
with white spruce
areas
where their ranges overlap.
It was named for George
Engelmann 1809-1884 , a
German physician and botanist.
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itk spru
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itk
spruce
ice sitchensis
A large tree that commonly grows up to 70 metres
tall and 2 metres across when mature. The largest
known Sitka spm e
is
9 metres tall and 5 metres
across.
eaves
Needles
~
light green to bluish green stiff and
sharp. They are four sided ut slightly flattened with two white
bands mnning along the upper
surface and two narrower bands
along the lower surface. The
needles are arranged spirally along
the twig and are attached by small
pegs which remain on the twig after
the needles fall
ones
Seed cones are reddish to
yellowish brown and hang from the
crown. Their seed scales are thin wavy and irregularly toothed.
Pollen cones are red.
Where to find
itka
spruce
grows along the coast in a
narrow band from sea level to
about 700 metres. It
is
most
common along the coastal fog-
belt and river and stream flood
plains.
ark
The bark
is
very thin
brown or purplish grey
and breaks up into small
scales.
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abitat
n coastal forests Sitka spruce grows with western hemlock
western.redcedar and yellow cedar. The forest floor is often
thick with mosses and horsetails blueberries and deer fern
flourish.
Black tail deer abound especially in the Queen Charlotte
Islands
wh r
they were introduced without their natural
predator the gray wolf. The productive floodplains along
c o s t l v ~ l l e y s
support grizzly and black bears as well as many
smaller manmlals.
oun
rk
s s
Aboriginal people living
on
the coast used Sitka
spm
extensively. From the roots they fashioned beautiful water-
tight hats and baskets. Roots also provided materials for ropes
fishing lines and twine to
s w
boxes and baskets.
Some coastal peoples ate the inner bark or the young shoots
raw as a source of vitamin
Fresh inner bark also acts
as
a
laxative.
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The native people used softened
pitch to caulk and waterproof
boats harpoons and fishing gear.
The pitch also provided an
effective medicine for burns
boils and other skin irritants.
Sitka spruce
is
valued for its
wood which is
ight
soft and
relatively strong and flexible. t
is
used for general construction
ship b iJding and plywood. The wood has excellent acoustic
properties and is used to make sounding boards in pianos and
other musical instruments such
as
.olins and guitars.
ot s
The Sitka spruce
is
frequently
host to the spruce weevil. The
weevil lays its eggs in the bud
at the top
o
the tree.
it
is
warm enough the eggs hatch
and the n w growth wilts and
eventually dies. Cool ocean
breezes and summer fog deter the weevil and allow Sitka
spruce to grow freely.
Sitka spruce has been introduced into Britain and northern
Europe where it
is
now widely grown.
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l ck spru
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s s
The arrier people used black
spruce wood to make fish traps
Other aboriginal people made snowshoe frames and drying
racks They also used powdered resin on wounds to speed
healing
The long fibres in black spruce make this a preferred pulp
species for paper products
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ot s
The name m r n means of Maryland. Phillip Miller, who
named the species, felt that Maryland epitomized North
America -
ut th
species does not actually grow there
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r nd fir
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r nd fir
bies
gr ndis
A tall stately tree that can grow up to 80 metres
w n maulre.
eaves
Needles are flat with rounded and notched ends.
They are dark green and grooved on top with two
white bands underneath. Needles are arranged to
form flat sprays that show both the upp r and lower surfaces of
the twig.
ones
Seed cones are barrel-shaped and
yellowish-green growing upright on
the branches high in the crown.
The cones shed the scales with the
seeds
ring
autumn.
ark
The bark
is
smooth and greyish
brown with white spots and blisters
filled with gummy resin
w n
young. The bark becomes
furrowed and scaly with age.
here
to
find grand fir
It
is
found from sea level to
mid elevations along the
southern coast and around
the Kootenay and Columbia
rivers in the southern Interior.
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abitat
Grand
fIr
prefers drier climates than the other true
ftrs
in
British Columbia. In the Interior it commonly grows in mixed
coniferous forests with Douglas-ftr western hemlock and
western white pine and with queen s cup falsebox and
prince s pine on the ground below.
On the coast western redcedar and flowering dogwood may
also be present with salal Oregon-grape western trillium and
vanilla-le\U beneath.
These forests are often home to bears and cougars; owls and
woodpeckers; and toads frogs and salamanders.
Grand fIr like other true firs has a thin bark which makes it
susceptible
t
ftre. It has increased in abundance since forest
ftre fighting activities began.
ses
The Okanagan people built
canoes from grand ftr bark and
rubbed its pitch on paddles to
give them a good finish. They
also applied pitch to the back of
bows to provide a secure grip.
Kwakwaka wakw shamans wove branches into headdresses
and costumes; they also used branches for scrubbing before
rites and rituals. The Hesquiat made branches into incense
and decorative clothing for wolf dancers. They also rubbed
the pitch mixed with oil
their scalps as a perfume and to
prevent baldness.
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Young
rk
ot s
The name
Abies
s derived from the Latin
abeo
meaning to
rise and refers to the great height attained by some species.
Fir s derived from the Old Englishflwl1 orf 1 11 r the Danish
f l l , meaning fire from its use s firewood.
Many the true firs are incorrectly called balsam. The true
balsam fir
Abies balsamea
s found east the Rocky
Mountains.
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m bilis fir
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m bilis
fir
bies
m bilis
A tall straight tree with a dense cone shaped
crown. It can reach metres w n mature.
e ves
Needles have blunt ends and are usually notched
at the tip. They are dark green with a groove
on
the upper. surface and have two silvery bands on
the lower surface.
The needles are arranged in
flattened spray like branches. The
long needles spread horizontally
from the bottom and sides of the
twig while the shorter ones
on
the
top point forward.
ones
Seed cones are deep purple and are
held upright on branches at the top
of the tree. The cones fall apart while still on the tree leaving a
central spike that
is
visible into winter. Pollen cones are reddish.
ark
The bark is smooth and
pale grey with blisters of
pitch.
becomes scaly
with age.
Where
find
m bilis fir
It
is
usually found in coastal
forests above 300 metres
elevation. In the north it may
grow at sea level.
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bit t
Amabilis fir thrives in a maritime climate where it
is
common
in moist forests
on
deep well·drained soils.
is
usually found
in mixtures with western and mountain hemlock yellow-
cedar and western redcedar.
is
very tolerant o shade and
small trees often grow abundantly with black huckleberry and
mountain·heathers.
Amabilis fir tolerates summer drought but depends
on
e q u i l t ~
moisture during the early growing season. Seedlings
develop long roots that penetrate compact soil but the root
system will grow horizontally on poorly drained soils.
oun
rk
s s
Boughs from both amabilis fir
and grand fir provided floor
coverings and bedding for
aboriginal people.
Several coastal peoples used the firs medicinally. They boiled
the bark wit stinging nettle for a tonic and for bathing and
treated colds with a tea made from the needles.
The Nisga a occasionally used it for house planks. ny native
groups used it for firewood.
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Because of its light weight and
colour its clean appearance and
its lack of unpleasant odour the
woo
s used for doors and
windows s well s furniture
parts mouldings and food
containers.
. : : : ~ : : :
~
ol s
Amabilis fir s also called Pacific silver fir because
of
the
silvery underside of
the needle. The botanical name
m ilis
means lovely an
pt
description for this species.
The cones of the amabilis fir are the largest and heaviest of the
native firs.
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ub lpine
fir
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ub lpine fir
bies osiocarpo
A medium-sized tree usually 20 35 metres tall
occasionally grows to 50 metres. Subalpine fIr has
a distinctive long narrow crown of short stiff
branches.
e ves r
Needles have blunt ends and are often notched at
the tip. They are blue-green with a single white band
on
the top
and two beneath. Needles all tend to turn upwards but often a
few stick out from the underside of the branch.
ones
Seed cones are deep purple and
grow upright at the top of the
crown. Like the cones of the oth r
fIrs they disintegrate on the tree
leaving a central spike. Pollen cones
are bluish.
ark
Smooth and grey with
resin blisters
wh n
young;
bark becomes broken into
large scales with age.
Where
to
find
sub lpine fir
It grows well at high
elevations from 600 to 2 250
metres tlu oughout most o the
Interior. It also grows near sea
level on the north coast. None
of the true fIrs grow in the
Queen Charlotte Islands.
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abitat
Subalpine fir is common in many Interior forests and is a
major component of the Interior high elevation forests from
the Yukon to Arizona Cool summers cold winters and a deep
snowpack are important in determining where subalpine fir
will grow well
In the mountains and plateaus of the Interior subalpine fir is
commonly found with spmce Caribou eat the lichens that are
found
o·n
the lower branches of these trees
ses
The pitch and bark of subalpine
fir was a very important
medicine in the Interior The
Secwepemc called the tree the
medicine plant They chewed
the pitch
clean their teeth People also chewed the pitch
ll
tlUe firs for enjoyment
Interior groups made large temporary baskets from sheets
bark that they stitched together with spruce roots They used
the baskets for cooking or soaking hides They also collected
boughs to use for bedding and
s
flooring in sweat lodges
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The Carrier people used the
wood to make roofIng shingles
and burned the rotten woo to
make a substance for tanning
hides.
Subalpine
r is
currently harvested for lumber plywood
veneers boxes and pulp.
ot s
Subalpine
r
does ot live long
because of its susceptibility to
wood rotting fungi especially Indian paint fungus and
bleeding conk fungus. Between 120 and 140 years of age
many trees become infected and die.
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abitat
Western hemlock usually grows with many different tree
species Occasionally it develops in pure groups of trees after
a wind has blown many trees over Its shallow rooting system
makes it susceptible to being blown over by wind as well as
being damaged by
f re
ses
Coastal people carved hemlock
wood which
is
fairly easily
worked into spoons combs
roasting spits and other
implements The Haida carved the wood from bent trunks
into giant feast dishes Sometin1es hemlock roots were spliced
onto bull kelp fIshing lines to strengthen them
Hemlock bark
is
rich in a substance useful for tanning hides
The Saanich people made a red dye which not only coloured
wool but also added colour to cheeks and removed facial
hair
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ount in hemlock
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ount in hemlock
su o m rt ns ono
A subalpine tree with only a slightly drooping
leader
r
top; rarely grows more than 30 metres
tall and
s
often stunted at high elevations.
Leaves
Needles are uniform in size, glossy, and yellow
green to ,deep bluish-green. They cover the
branches densely on ll sides or may be mostly upturned.
here
to find
mount in hemlock
It grows at mid elevations
to timberline in the coastal
mountains and at low
elevations further north. In
the Interior, it grows in the
Cariboo, Selkirk and
Monashee mountains.
ones
Seed cones are light t deep purple
sometimes green , narrow at each
end and longer than those
western hemlock. Pollen cones
are bluish.
ark
Dark reddish·brown, cracked and
grooved into narrow ridges,
\
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abitat
Mountain hemlock grows with amabilis fir and yellow cedar
the coast and Engelmann spruce and subalpine ftr in the
Interior. It is found in areas that have a deep insulating
snowpack that accumulates early in the f ll it probably
cannot grow where the soil freezes. It also grows in bogs
along the mid
north coast.
ses
Commercial uses include small
dimension lumber and pulp.
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ot s
Mertensiana
s
named for
Franz Karl Mertens a German
botanist
ewis I onkey flower
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ouglas fIT
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ouglas fir
seudotsug
menziesii
A large tree reaching heights of 85 metres on the
coast and 42 metres in th Interior. Older trees
have a long branch free trunk and a short
cylindrical crown with a flattened top. There are
two varieties of Douglas ftr coastal and Interior.
eaves
Needles are flat with a pointed tip.
The upp r surface is bright
yellowish green with a single
groove down the centre; the lower
surface is paler. The needles appear
to stand out around the twig.
ones
Cones are 5 to centinletres long
turning from green to grey
as
they mature. Between each scale
long three pronged bracts are easily seen. Seeds are winged at
the tip.
ark
Smooth grey brown with
gummy resin filled blisters
wh n
young the bark
becomes very thick with age
and deeply grooved with dark
reddish brown ridges.
Where to find ouglas·fir
The coastal variety of
Douglas ftf occurs along the
southern mainland coast and
across Vancouver Island x pt for
the very northern tip. The Interior
variety occurs throughout southern
British Columbia and north to
Takla ake
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abitat
The two varieties of Douglas fir occur in quite different
ecosystems. The Interior variety grows in a variety of habitats
including open forests with pinegrass and mosses beneath. On
the coast the forests are much more productive. Douglas fir
can grow with western redcedar hemlock and grand
fir
with
a lush layer of salal huckleberries Oregon grape and sword
fern beneath.
Many animals eat Douglas fir seeds including squirrels
chipmunks mice shrews winter wrens and crossbills. Bears
often scrape off the bark on young trees and eat the sap layer
beneath.
ses
Aboriginal people in the south
part of the province had many
uses for Douglas ftf. They used
the wood and the boughs
s
fuel
for pit cooking. They also used it for fishing hooks and for
handles. Douglas fir boughs were frequently used for covering
the floors
lodges and sweat lodges.
Douglas ftf wood has been highly valued since the ftfst
Europeans exported lumber in the 18th century. This dense
wood
is
exceptionally hard stiff and durable. Its strength and
availability in large dimensions make
it
outstanding for heavy-
duty construction such s wharves trestles bridge parts and
commercial buildings.
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r
1;
JI
ot s
Because t Douglas-fIr
is
not a
true
f r
the common name
is
hyphenated. It was named after
David Douglas the Scottish
botanist w o
introduced many
of British Columbia s native
conifers to Europe.
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st rn y w
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st rn y w
xus
brevif li
A low spreading shrub to a small tree S to 5 . •
metres tall; young trees are often square in profile
r
becoming more cone-shaped with age. The trunk
is twisted and becomes very wide near the base
with horizontally spreading branches.
Leaves
Needles are flat about 2 centimetres long with a distinctive
pointed tip; dark yellowish-green arranged spirally
o
twigs but
twisted so that they appear to grow in two rows.
ones
and ruit
Seed and pollen cones usually
appear on separate trees The fmit
consists o a coral-red fleshy cup
that is open at one end and contains
a single seed.
ark
Thin dark reddish or purplish
scales shed off the tmnk and expose
a rose-coloured underbark.
here
to find
western yew
It occurs scattered
throughout the wetter forests
o
the coast and the Interior
wet belt prinlarily at low to
mid elevations.
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bit t
Western
y w
occurs
o
a wide variety of sites from dry and
rocky to moist depressions and ravines; it generally occurs on
sites that have abundant soil nutrients. It often occurs
together with Douglas fir western redcedar and western
hemlock
s
well
s
plants such
s
salal Oregon grape or
skunk cabbage.
Where it does occur it
s
important food for black tailed deer
elk moOse and caribou. Several birds including blackbirds
waxwings and nuthatches and various small rodents eat the
fruit.
In
so doing they scatter the seed away from the tree.
s s
Although the fruit of western
yew
s
considered toxic some
coastal native groups
occasionally ate it in small
amounts.
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The native people
used the strong,
stiffwoo for
making items such
as bows, tools,
paddles, and
prying sticks.
is
still used for
making bows
and paddles.
•
: i ·
,
11 ,,--?.. i, ,,
a ~ ~
~ ~
Interior peoples sometimes used the branches to make
snowshoe frames.
The bark ofwestern yew contains a compound called taxol,
which shows promise in treating some forms of cancer.
ot s
a xus is a Latin word for bow. Some historians believe that
Robin Hood s
ow
was made from English yew.
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cific
dogwood
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cific
dogwood
omus
nuttoll
A small tree or shrub up to
5
metres tall with
branches arranged in a circular pattern around
the tree
eaves
Opposite oval leaves have pointed tips and a
slightly toothed edge Pacific dogwood leaves are
dark green and turn orange in
fall
lowers
The showy white flowers are
actually four to six modified leaves
that surround a cluster of 30 to 40
small green flowers Dogwoods
usually flower in spring and again
in
fall
ruit
The dark red berries are
edible but bitter
ark
Smooth and grey
Where
to
find
Pacific
dogwood
It grows on the southern
coast and on Vancouver Island
south of Port Hardy
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bit t
Pacific dogwood grows best on deep coarse well-drained
soils often underneath
Douglas fIT
grand
fir
and western
hemlock.
The fmit
is
part of the diet of pigeons quail grosbeaks
hermit tlu ushes and waxwings. Bears and beavers enjoy the
fmit and foliage and deer eat the twigs.
s s
Some aboriginal people used the
wood which
is
fme-grained
hard and heavy for bows and
arrows. More recently the
Cowichan people on Vancouver Island made knitting
needles from it.
The Straits Salish made a tanning agent from the bark. The
Thompson people made dyes - deep brown from the bark
black
w n
mixed with grand
fir
and red from the roots.
The wood has been used for piano keys. Pacific dogwood
varieties are attractive ornamentals in coastal gardens.
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ot s
Pacific dogwood susceptible
to a fungus, the dogwood leaf
blotch, which disfigures leaves
and causes shoots to die back.
Clearing away fallen leaves and
spraying with lime sulphur in
the winter reduces the chance of infection.
The name dogwood most probably comes from the Sanskrit
word
dag
meaning skewers.
The botanical name nutt ll for Thomas Nuttall 1798
1859 , a British-born botanist and ornithologist. omus
means horn and may refer
the hard wood.
Legislation protects the Pacific dogwood from being dug up
or cut down. The Pacific dogwood blossom
the floral
emblem of British Columbia.
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igle f m ple
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igle f
m ple
cer
m cr phyllum
The largest maple in Canada reaching heights
of
36 metres. When it grows in the forest it develops
a narrow rown that is supported by a stem free
of branches for half its length. Those growing in
the op n have a broad rown which
is
supported
by a few large
spreading limbs.
Leaves
Leaves are deeply five-lobed and are
the largest of any maple in Canada
measuring 5 to 30 centimetres
across. They have only a few
bluntish wavy teeth; are shiny
dark green on top and paler
underneath; and turn yellow in the
fall
The leaf stalk sometimes oozes a milky substance
wh n
it
is
broken. Twigs and leaves emerge
as
pairs.
lowers
Small greenish-yellow flowers about 3 millimetres across
appear early in spring hanging in clusters at the ends
of
twigs.
ruit
The fruit consists of two
Winged seeds joined at th
base. Seeds are hairy 3 to 6
centimetres long.
ark
Greyish-brown shallowly
grooved
wh n
older.
here to find
bigle f
maple
It
is
restricted to
th
southwest corner
ofBritish Columbia at low to mid
elevations.
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abitat
Bigleaf maple generally grows on coarse gravelly moist soils
such
s
those found near river lake
or
stream edges
ut
it
can occur
on
other moist soils such s seepage areas. It
commonly occurs in mixed groups of trees with red alder
black cottonwood Douglas flf western redcedar and western
hemlock.
Squirrels grosbeaks and mice eat the seeds of bigleaf maples
and deer and elk eat the twigs.
ses
Coastal peoples used bigleaf
maple wood to make dishes
pipes and hooks for clothing.
ny
groups
who
made paddles
out of the
woo
called it the paddle tree. They used the inner
bark
make baskets rope and whisks for whipping
soopolalie berries.
In the Interior aboriginal people ate the young shoots raw in
the spring. They also made a type of maple symp but because
the sap has a low sugar content it takes a large quantity of sap
to make a small amount of symp.
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Because of its close grain and
moderate hardness maple wood
used commercially for
furniture interior finishing and
musical instmments
ot s
Maple flowers are quite sweet
and edible and can be used
in salads
Bigleaf maple trees are often
draped in mosses because the bark
rich in calcium
and moisture adding to the attractive
w
rainforest
plant community
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ougl s m ple
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ougl s m ple
cer
gl brum
A shrub to small tree I to 7 metres in height; the
trunk may be divided into a few slender limbs; .
these are further divided into many small
br nches
to form an irregular and even topped crown.
eaves
Leaves are 7 to 10 centimetres wide divided into
3 to 5 lobe s and have a typical maple leaf shape. They are
coarsely toothed dark green
on
top and greyish green
underneath turning bright red orange in autumn.
ruit
The fruit consists of a cluster of
winged seeds joined in pairs at a
sharp angle n a V shape. The seed
wings are about 2.5 centimetres
long and the seeds are strongly
wrinkled and indented.
ark
Generally thin smooth
and dark reddish brown;
roughened on larger
branches and old trunks.
Where
to find
ouglas maple
t is
widespread at low to mid
elevations throughout most of
British Columbia
except
in the
Queen Charlotte Islands and
northern British Columbia.
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bit t
Douglas maple occurs on well-drained
w t
sites and
sometimes in avalanche areas. It inhabits clearings and
open forests.
s s /
Aboriginal people in the Interior had many uses for Douglas
maple. The
woo s
tough and pliable and they used it for
such items s snowshoe frames saddle frames spoons dipnet
or
fishing hoops bows rattles masks and headdresses. They
soaked the green wood and heated it then molded it into the
desired shape.
The Thompson people used the stringy inner bark to make
twine the Shuswap people used it for rope and the Nisga a
for mats.
Douglas maple
s
suitable
s
an ornamental and
s
particularly
attractive in the autumn.
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ol s
l brum means smooth
perhaps referring t the leaves
fruit which have no hairs.
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in
m pl
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ine
m ple
cer circin tum
A deciduous shrub
r
small tree sometimes
reaching a height
2
metres;
it
has a short
crooked trunk with twisted spreading limbs and a
low irregularly shaped crown. The trunk
sometimes grows almost horizontally and may root
i
it touches the ground. Vine maple can become a
sprawling shrub that grows into dense thickets.
e ves
Leaves are almost circular 6 to
centimetres in diameter with 7 to 9
lobes; the lobes are triangular with
sharp single or double teeth; bright
yellowish green on top pale green
and downy underneath turning red
r
yellow in autumn.
ru t
The fruit consists Winged seeds 2 to 4 centimetres long
joined in pairs and borne in a duster; the wings
the seeds
are spread widely.
ark
Thin and greenish
becoming reddish brown;
smooth
r
sometimes with
shallow cracks.
here
to find
vine
maple
t is
mostly restricted to
southwestern British Columbia
particularly at low to mid
elevations. It occurs in a few places
on southern Vancouver Island and in
Wells Gray Provincial Park.
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bit t
Vine maple occurs most frequently on moist soils rich in
nitrogen particularly along the banks of streams and
wet
sites.
can live in the shade
ut
also occurs in openings in the
forest. Vine maple and alder are often the fIrst trees to
establish after landslides. Vine maple commonly occurs with
bigleaf maple Douglas fIr western hemlock grand f r and
Pacillc dogwood and sword fern underneath.
s s
The Coast Salish people used
vine maple occasionally for bows
and frames for fIshing nets. The
lower Thompson people used
the wood for making snowshoes
and cradle frames.
On the coast the aboriginal people boiled the bark of the
roots to make a tea for colds. They burned the wood to
charcoal mixed it with water and drank it to combat
dysentery and polio. They always collected the bark and
woo
early in the morning from the sunrise side of the tree.
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ol s
The common name probably
comes from the gnarled and
crooked appearance
the
tree.
On the coast vine maple
a
beautiful garden shrub that looks
sinlilar to Japanese maple.
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r utus
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r utus
r utus
menziesii
A broadleaf evergreen tree up to 30 metres
taU
usuaUy with a crooked
r
leaning trunk that
divides into several twisting upright branches and
an irregularly rounded crown.
eaves
Dark and glossy but pale underneath 7 to
12
centimetres long thick with a leathery texture.
lowers
• Dense clusters of urn shaped white
waxy flowers drooping at the ends
twigs in April or
May
ruit
The fruit
is
berry like 7 millimetres
across and bright reddish orange
with a peel like surface texture.
ark
The bark is thin smooth
and reddish brown peeling
in thin flakes
r
strips to
expose younger smooth
greenish to cinnamon red
bark underneath.
Where
to find
arbutus
Arbutus
is
restricted to a
narrow band along the south
coast and generally occurs
within 8 kilometres
the
ocean. It
is
often found on
exposed rocky bluffs
overlooking the ocean.
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abitat
Arbutus is found on sites that lack moisture such
s
those
with rocky
or
rapidly drained soils. Because it does not like
shade it generally occurs in clearings or on open rocky bluffs
with
oth r
species such
s
Garry oak
or
Douglas fir
oceanspray Oregon grape baldhip rose and several herbs
and grasses.
The flowers have a strong honey smell and are very attractive
to
s
Fruit eating birds such
s
waxwings and robins
frequently eat the berries.
ses
Arbutus bark
s
very rich in a
substance used for tanning hides.
The wood
s
heavy and hard
tends to be brittle and cracks
wh n
drying. It
s
used only for
woodworking in British Columbia.
i
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ot s
Arbutus s the only native
broadleaf evergreen tree in
Canada Another common
name
s
madrone a Spanish
word for the strawberry tree
which arbutus s a close relative The Scottish botanist
Archibald Menzies first collected specimens
1792 and
described it s the oriental strawberry tree
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l ck h wthorn
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l ck h wthorn
ratoegusdoug asH
A large shrub to small tree that grows up to 8
metres tall, armed with stout, straight thorns 1 to 2
centimetres long and bearing showy, white b ~ o o J ~
flowers during
ay
and June.
eaves
Oval leaves are 3 to 6 centimetres long, with 5 to 9
small l o ~ at the top.
lowers
White, saucer-shaped flowers
flat-topped clusters.
ruit
Clusters of small, blackish apples
haws) that wither quickly
wh n ripe.
hereto find
black
hawthorn
It is found from sea level to mid elevations south
o
Fort St John,
along water courses and meadowland thickets.
The Columbian or red
hawthorn
Cmtaegus
columbi n
is
a smaller
tree or shrub with long
slender thorns and red fruit. It
also grows along water
courses and
on
dry hillsides
the southern Interior. The
English hawthorn Cmtaegus
o:>.:ycantba ,
an ornamental garden .
tree, is naturalized on the southern
coast.
Its leaves are deeply lobed, and the
fruit
is
red.
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bit t
Black hawthorns like lots of sunlight to grow to tree size.
The apple like fruit provides food for birds in the winter.
Impenetrable hawthorn thickets are good nesting and
denning or resting and sleeping sites for small birds and
manmlals.
s s
The Thompson and Okanagan
peoples used the thorns to
pierce ears and to probe boils
and skin ulcers. The Lillooet and
Gitksan people made fish hooks
from them.
The strong hard
woo
made durable digging sticks and
handles for implements.
The Cowichan people burned the leaves inner bark and
n w
shoots and mixed the ashes with grease for a black face paint
used in winter dances.
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sc r
h mnus
purshi n
A small tree or shrub with greyish black bark that
grows to 10 metres tall.
eaves
Alternate oblong leaves have fme teeth along
their edges and prominent veins running parallel
to the siqes. It
the only deciduous tree in the
province whose buds are
not
covered by bud scales in the
winter.
lowers
Nondescript greenish flowers
clustered near ends of branches.
ruit
Purplish black berries.
ark
Thin dark greyish brown; smooth
w n
young becomes scaly with
age. A cut in the bark reveals a bright yellow
irmer bark that turns dark
brown on exposure to air
and light.
Where to find cascara
found
on
the southern
part of the coast and
Vancouver Island and in
scattered locations in the
Columbia Valley in the
Interior.
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Originally people collected only the fresh bark but soon the
wood was discovered to contain
percent
of
the active
compouhd. Legislation regulated cutting prevent over-
harvesting. The legislation was rescinded after a synthetic
source was developed.
ot s
Spanish priests in California
named the tree
ascara
sagrada meaning sacred
bark. This name has two
possible origins. The flfst is
from the medicinal properties
of
the bark and the second